Work finally to start on new sports centre

Final funding for the scheme for the Galtres Centre, in Easingwold, was secured this week.

The work will complete a 20- year development plan drawn up in 1987 when it was first envisaged that a town centre manor house could be converted into a community centre.

Since then social facilities, a leisure hall, offices, an all-weather floodlit pitch, creche and fitness studio have been added to the Galtres Centre in the southeast corner of the Market Square.

The sports centre will be suitable for five-a-side football, tennis, badminton, netball, basketball, aerobics and martial arts. It is also being equipped with two double bay indoor cricket nets to help local clubs with pre-season training.

The existing leisure hall will be converted into a performing arts space which will feature retractable seating, an acoustic ceiling and new lighting to accommodate audiences of up to 250 people.

Peter Rees, chairman of the Galtres Centre sports committee, welcomed news that funding had been secured.

He said: "We are delighted that this milestone has been reached and that we now have the funding in place to start building.

"We are indebted to Sport England and Hambleton District Council who, between them, dug a bit deeper and closed the funding gap we were faced with just before Christmas."

Building work is due to start next month and be completed by October.

Easingwold has other sports facilities such as an all-weather pitch and a gym, but has never had a public hall large enough to play five-a-side football, basketball, netball and badminton.

Dave Goodwin, Hambleton District Council's head of leisure and tourism services, has said the facility is badly needed in the Easingwold area because there is no provision for sports such as badminton and basketball in the south of Hambleton.

A large proportion of the funding came from the council, which pledged a one-off grant of £332,000, as well as £288,000 obtained from developers as part of planning applications